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A 25-year-old Indian student, Mohammed Abdul Arfath, who had been missing for nearly three weeks, was discovered dead in Cleveland, Ohio, the Indian consulate in New York confirmed on Tuesday.
NEW DELHI: A 25-year-old Indian student, Mohammed Abdul Arfath, who had been missing for nearly three weeks, was discovered dead in Cleveland, Ohio, the Indian consulate in New York confirmed on Tuesday.
Arfath, originally from Nacharam, Hyderabad, had moved to the United States in 2023 to pursue a Master’s degree in IT at Cleveland State University. The Consulate General of India in New York expressed deep sorrow over Arfath’s tragic demise, stating, “Anguished to learn that Mr. Mohammed Abdul Arfath, for whom search operation was underway, was found dead in Cleveland, Ohio.” The consulate assured that they were collaborating with local authorities to ensure a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Arfath’s death and to provide necessary assistance to his family for repatriating his remains to India.
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Anguished to learn that Mr. Mohammed Abdul Arfath, for whom search operation was underway, was found dead in Cleveland, Ohio.
Our deepest condolences to Mr Mohammed Arfath’s family. @IndiainNewYork is in touch with local agencies to ensure thorough investigation into Mr… https://t.co/FRRrR8ZXZ8
— India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) April 9, 2024
Arfath’s disappearance had raised concerns within the Indian community in the US, especially given recent incidents involving Indian students. His last contact with his family was on March 7th, after which his mobile phone remained switched off. On March 19th, his family received a distressing ransom call from an unidentified individual claiming Arfath had been kidnapped by drug traffickers, demanding a ransom of $1,200 and issuing threats of organ trafficking if the demands were not met.
This tragic event adds to a series of untimely deaths among Indian students in the US. This is the eleventh such case of an Indian student’s death in the US this year, and the second this week.
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The consulate’s announcement comes amidst heightened anxiety within the Indian American community over the safety and well-being of their compatriots studying abroad. Recent cases, including the murder of Vivek Saini, the suicide of Sameer Kamath, the death of Akul Dhawan due to hypothermia, and the mysterious demise of Neel Acharya, have further underscored these concerns.
Arfath’s family, devastated by the loss, had been in constant communication with authorities and the consulate in their desperate search for answers. Despite efforts to locate him, Arfath’s fate remained uncertain until the grim discovery in Cleveland.
As investigations proceed, the circumstances leading to Arfath’s death remain unclear.
